Busboys and Poets invites Betty and Phoebe back again for a discussion on their thought provoking and personal story, a story of two women connected through slavery reconciling the injustices of the past. We’ll catch up with them on the success of their book and the impact it’s been making, as well as their involvement in a new Netflix documentary, “Stories of a Generation with Pope Francis”.
In COUSINS we find out what happens when a White woman, Phoebe, contacts a Black woman, Betty, saying she suspects they are connected through slavery. Betty and Phoebe take us through the emotional journey of discovering their past and through it, each other. From the age of 13, the fight for racial equality was a center point in Betty’s life. She was one of 22 African- American children seeking the right to attend the whites-only schools through a lawsuit filed by the NAACP against the school district of Warren County, Virginia. By contrast, Phoebe grew up in an all white school with a racist father, tasked with the responsibility of unlearning his attitudes and ideals outside of her home. COUSINS delves into the dramatic lives of both women, from Betty’s experience desegregating her county to Phoebe’s eventual question to Betty: “How do I begin to repair the harms?” Piercingly honest, COUSINS offers examples of reparation on a personal level through the story of two women’s lives coming together. This event is free and open to all, either in person or accessible through our Facebook and Youtube pages (@busboysandpoets).
Please RSVP if you are joining us in person or are interested in purchasing a signed book with shipping.
The program will begin at 6:30 PM, starting with an introduction from a member of our Busboys and Poets team and ending with an audience Q&A. Signed copies of COUSINS will be available for purchase before, during, and after the event!
Praise for COUSINS:
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine writes: "I'm very excited about this remarkable book. I hope the experiences of Betty and Phoebe will inspire others to sit down at the table of sisterhood and brotherhood to promote racial healing."
Edward L. Ayers, Professor of Humanities, President Emeritus, University of Richmond says: “This powerful book weaves together the eloquent stories of two impressive women—stories of survival, determination, and awakening, of honesty, spirituality, and success. They give us a detective story and a mystery, a reconciliation and a celebration. A reader will be grateful for all of them.”
Danita Rountree Green, trauma healing facilitator and playwright, Richmond, VA: “How marvelous that, in this time of endless separation, two people came together across so many barriers to build new bridges for healing old wounds. This memoir is a testimony to the power of forgiveness and a tribute to how truth can set us free.”
Leymah Gbowee, 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Winner: "I highly recommend this amazing story of racial reconciliation."
